Is the medicinal value of Roman Chamomile the same as German Chamomile?
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No, but they are silimar.
You are not talking about weither you are using the tea, or the the essential oil, or another form.
The tea is almost always made from German. While the Essential Oils is made from both.
German Chamomile is made from the Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomilla recutitua) plant, while Roman Chamomile is made from the Anthemis nobilis (Chamaemelum nobile) plant. They are separate herbs, in separate families.
German Chamomile essential oil is made from steam distillation or a CO2 extraction. (Wither CO2 extractions are Essential Oils is a topic for another discussion.) The steam distilled oil is a dark blue, much darker than steam distilled Roman Chamomile (the CO2 is green). The scent is more 'flat' and less sweet than the Roman Chamomile. German Chamomile contains sesquiterpene alcohol, alph-bisabolol and is strongly anti-inflammatory in topical applications. It has antiphlogistic action in topical applications, and neutralizes the toxins produced by bacteria. German Chamomile also has more chemo types than Roman, yet few if any, are recognized in the aromatherapy trade.
To my knowledge, Roman Chamomile essential oil is only made by steam distillation and most of the molecules are Esters. It is a lighter blue than the German, with a sweeter aroma. It is better for insomnia (in most people) as a diffused oil. (Diffusion can be as simple as a drop on a pillow or cotton ball, or more fancy like a candle diffuser, fan diffuser, nebulizing diffuser, and more.) Roman Chamomile is usually less expensive than German Chamomile.
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